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Open Access Journal of Contraception 2024Depression is a global health concern with significant consequences, especially for women. Hormonal changes and gender disparities contribute to its prevalence. Hormonal...
BACKGROUND
Depression is a global health concern with significant consequences, especially for women. Hormonal changes and gender disparities contribute to its prevalence. Hormonal contraceptives are widely used among women of reproductive age, but some users report mood-related side effects.
PURPOSE
This study aims to investigate the relationship between hormonal contraceptive use and depression among women in Mogadishu, Somalia.
METHODS
An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at two hospitals in Mogadishu, targeting married women aged 15-49 using hormonal contraceptives. A sample size of 227 participants was determined, and data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depression. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, including multivariate logistic regression.
RESULTS
The prevalence of depression among participants was 33.5%, with significant associations observed between depression and occupation, income level, type of hormonal contraceptive used, and duration of contraceptive use. Housewives, individuals with lower income, users of oral pills and implant methods, as well as those with shorter durations of contraceptive use, constituted the high-risk groups for depression.
CONCLUSION
Depression poses a concern among women using hormonal contraceptives in Mogadishu, Somalia. Healthcare providers should educate women about potential side effects and consider individualized contraceptive recommendations. Mental health support initiatives and awareness campaigns should be introduced. Future research is recommended to further understand and address depression in this context.
PubMed: 38911480
DOI: 10.2147/OAJC.S444545 -
Open Medicine (Warsaw, Poland) 2024The bleeding time and amount in the short-segment group were shorter than in the long-segment group, and the bleeding volume was less than in the long-segment group. The...
The bleeding time and amount in the short-segment group were shorter than in the long-segment group, and the bleeding volume was less than in the long-segment group. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association low back pain score, Oswestry Dysfunction Index, and lumbar spine stiffness disability index score of the two groups were significantly improved preoperatively, postoperatively, and at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post-operation. The differences were statistically significant at different time points within the groups. Neurological function improved to varying degrees postoperatively. The Cobb angle was significantly higher in both groups ( < 0.05). Adjacent vertebral disease occurred in 10 of 64 patients with short-segment fixation, with a prevalence of 15.6%. Preoperative pelvic tilt angle, preoperative pelvic projection angle (PPA), preoperative degree of matching of PPA to LL (PI-LL), and preoperative coronal Cobb angle were higher in patients with adjacent vertebral disease. There were varying degrees of improvement in low back pain and spinal function after short-segment decompression and fusion internal fixation. However, the patients are generally elderly and at risk of persistent low back pain and accelerated degeneration of adjacent segments.
PubMed: 38911257
DOI: 10.1515/med-2024-0983 -
Cureus May 2024Pigmented lesions in the oral cavity can arise from the accumulation of external substances or internal pigments, resulting in black or brown discoloration. The etiology...
Pigmented lesions in the oral cavity can arise from the accumulation of external substances or internal pigments, resulting in black or brown discoloration. The etiology can be categorized as physiologic, reactive, neoplastic, idiopathic, or indicative of systemic illness. Several systemic drugs have been linked to the development of oral and/or cutaneous pigmentation, either by stimulating the production of melanin or by the accumulation of the drug or its byproducts. The medications most commonly associated with this condition include antimalarials, hormones, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, chemotherapeutics, amiodarone, minocycline, zidovudine, clofazimine, and ketoconazole. The aim of this case report is to illustrate the drug-induced appearance of multiple melanotic macules in an 89-year-old female patient. The patient was referred to the Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, complaining of the recent and constant appearance of black spots in her oral cavity. Her medical history revealed a multitude of prescribed drugs, with citalopram being the most recently prescribed one, approximately one year prior to the examination. The clinical examination revealed multiple melanotic macules, on the upper and lower lip as well as on the hard and soft palate. Based on these findings, a biopsy of a melanotic macule of the lip was carried out. The histopathological examination showed that the basal layer of the stratified squamous epithelium exhibited hyperpigmentation (melanin-pigmented basal cells). In addition, scattered melaninophages were noted in lamina propria. Psychotropic drugs associated with cutaneous hyperpigmentation include citalopram. Therefore, our case constitutes an exception since citalopram induced intraoral and perioral, instead of cutaneous, hyperpigmentation.
PubMed: 38910786
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60889 -
Journal of Clinical Lipidology May 2024Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy worldwide with a heterogeneous clinical presentation including reproductive, metabolic, and endocrine... (Review)
Review
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy worldwide with a heterogeneous clinical presentation including reproductive, metabolic, and endocrine elements. However, the assessment and management of PCOS remains inconsistent, with many women undiagnosed and untreated. We now also understand that the management of PCOS should extend throughout a woman's lifespan as many elements of the syndrome persist after menopause. Management has traditionally focused on the treatment of hyperandrogenism and oligomenorrhea. Women with PCOS often have dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, which may be worsened by the hormonal abnormalities, and are therefore at higher risk for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, a risk that increases after menopause. While treatment with hormonal therapy, in particular combined oral contraceptives, may improve cardiovascular risk factors, management plans should incorporate specific diagnosis and management of these factors, if present, because of the strong contribution to the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Given the complexities of the syndrome, optimal management often requires a multi-disciplinary approach including the lipid and cardiometabolic specialist to provide counseling and support for lifestyle modification along with pharmacologic therapy as indicated to address the full range of any reproductive, endocrine, and cardiometabolic abnormalities.
PubMed: 38908968
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacl.2024.04.131 -
American Family Physician Jun 2024
Topics: Humans; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; Adult
PubMed: 38905547
DOI: No ID Found -
American Family Physician Jun 2024
Topics: Humans; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; Adult
PubMed: 38905546
DOI: No ID Found -
African Journal of Reproductive Health Apr 2024Among all age groups, knowledge of reproductive health can prevent unplanned pregnancy and STIs. The study assessed the status of reproductive health knowledge among...
Among all age groups, knowledge of reproductive health can prevent unplanned pregnancy and STIs. The study assessed the status of reproductive health knowledge among secondary school girls in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was conducted among secondary school girls between the ages of 14 and 19. A total of three hundred and forty (N=340) eligible learners were selected using stratified random sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. All ethical considerations were ensured throughout the study. About 184(56%) of the respondents were aged between 14 and 16 years, and 59% were grade nine and ten. The majority (72%; n=239) of the respondents stayed in rural areas and attended public schools (83%;n=274). Half (51%) of the study respondents had no idea about menstruation. Nine percent (24) of the respondents mentioned ICUD as a method of contraception. HIV/AIDS was the most common STI infection known by respondents at 52%. Oral and injectable contraceptives 72(35%) were cited as the most known methods to prevent unplanned pregnancies. The study found that respondents exposed little or lack of knowledge about reproductive health. Therefore, the Department of Education must carry out reproductive education among girls to promote reproductive health. Parents should be encouraged to explain reproductive health issues to their girl child.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adolescent; South Africa; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Cross-Sectional Studies; Reproductive Health; Surveys and Questionnaires; Schools; Young Adult; Students; Pregnancy; Contraception; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Contraception Behavior
PubMed: 38904973
DOI: 10.29063/ajrh2024/v28i4.7 -
Iranian Journal of Kidney Diseases May 2024Shenqi pill (SQP) can be used to treat various kidney related diseases, but its exact mechanism of action remains unclear. We intended to analyze the role and mechanism...
INTRODUCTION
Shenqi pill (SQP) can be used to treat various kidney related diseases, but its exact mechanism of action remains unclear. We intended to analyze the role and mechanism of SQP on renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF).
METHODS
After performing unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) surgery following the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee guidelines, all rats were assigned into the sham group, UUO group, UUO + SQP 1.5 g/kg, UUO + SQP 3 g/kg, and UUO + SQP 6 g/kg groups. After treatment with SQP for 4 weeks, the appearance of kidney, serum creatinine (SCr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were monitored in each group. The pathological injury, extracellular matrix (ECM), and Notch1 pathway-related protein levels were measured using H&E staining, Masson staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot, respectively.
RESULTS
SQP could obviously ameliorate the appearance of the kidney as well as the levels of SCr and BUN in UUO rats (SCr: 67.6 ± 4.64 μM, 59.66 ± 4.96 μM, 48.76 ± 4.44 μM, 40.43 ± 3.02 μM for UUO, low, medium, and high SQP treatment groups; BUN: 9.09 ± 0.97 mM, 7.72 ± 0.61 mM, 5.42 ± 0.42 mM, 4.24 ± 0.34 mM for UUO, low, medium, and high SQP treatment groups; P < .05). SQP also effectively mitigated renal tissue injury in UUO rats (P < .05). Moreover, we uncovered that SQP significantly inhibited Collagen I, α-SMA, Collagen IV, TGF-B1, Notch1, and Jag1 protein expressions in UUO rats kidney (P < .05).
CONCLUSION
Our data elucidated that SQP can alleviate RIF, and the mechanism may be related to the Notch1/Jag1 pathway. DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.7703.
Topics: Animals; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Fibrosis; Male; Receptor, Notch1; Kidney; Ureteral Obstruction; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Signal Transduction; Jagged-1 Protein; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Disease Models, Animal; Kidney Diseases; Creatinine; Transforming Growth Factor beta1; Actins
PubMed: 38904340
DOI: 10.52547/b56av842 -
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy Jun 2024This Special Report aims to highlight the importance of tailored therapies in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), avoiding prescribing generalized or unsuitable...
INTRODUCTION
This Special Report aims to highlight the importance of tailored therapies in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), avoiding prescribing generalized or unsuitable therapies based on oral contraceptive pills (OCPs).
AREAS COVERED
This article discusses the benefits and risks of OCP-based therapy, highlighting the possible undesirable effects, especially in those patients exhibiting risk factors as women with PCOS, and the importance of carefully evaluated tailored therapeutic approaches. Literature searches were performed with the use of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science between January and February 2024.
EXPERT OPINION
Considering the recent re-analysis of PCOS Rotterdam Criteria by the Expert Group on Inositol in Basic and Clinical Research, and on PCOS (EGOI-PCOS), the traditional Rotterdam phenotypes can be reclassified to achieve more efficacious therapy choices. Using personalized therapies that consider the specific clinical characteristics of the patient allows to improve the management of the syndrome, thus avoiding the generalized use of OCPs, which risk treating only symptoms of PCOS rather than the underlying cause. In cases when contraceptive purpose is desired, patients may benefit from combined therapy with diet or insulin-sensitizer agents, as inositol, to rebalance the metabolic profile, thus reducing the risk of developing future complications.
PubMed: 38904185
DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2371977 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024To characterize the influence of female-specific hormones on women's thyroid function, the study investigated the influence of extra progestin from oral contraceptives...
INTRODUCTION
To characterize the influence of female-specific hormones on women's thyroid function, the study investigated the influence of extra progestin from oral contraceptives on inducing thyroid dysfunction.
METHODS
Sixty female Wistar rats were divided into six groups based on levonorgestrel or desogestrel administration as the main active agents: control, low (0.0039 mg*20-fold), medium (0.0039 mg*100-fold), high (0.0318 mg*100-fold) levonorgestrel (pure product); and low (0.0083 mg*20-fold) and high (0.0083 mg*100-fold) desogestrel (pure product). Progestin was administered by gavage every 4 days for 1 month. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
Following levonorgestrel gavage, serum free T and thyroidstimulating hormone levels were significantly lower in the experimental group than that in the control group (=0.013 and 0.043). After desogestrel gavage, the serum free T and free T levels were lower in the experimental group than that in the control group (=0.019 and 0.030). Thyroid hormone antibody concentrations were lower in rats administered levonorgestrel and desogestrel than that in control rats. Moreover, exposure to progestin upregulated the expression of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor and sodium iodide symporter in thyroid.
DISCUSSION
Progestin stimulation enhanced the proliferation of follicular epithelial cells in rat thyroid tissues. Progestin exposure could cause thyroid dysfunction by upregulating the transcription of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor and sodium iodide symporter in thyroid, thus inducing pathomorphological changes in rats' thyroid.
Topics: Animals; Female; Rats, Wistar; Rats; Progestins; Thyroid Gland; Levonorgestrel; Desogestrel; Thyroxine; Thyroid Hormones; Thyroid Function Tests
PubMed: 38904035
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1362774